Boeing to open two 737-800BCF conversion lines in Latin America to meet customer demand
Romain Guillot
 le 05/05/2021 , Maintenance aéronautique
Boeing has decided to establish two 737-800BCF conversion lines in Latin America to meet the growing customer demand for narrowbody freighters. The new conversion center will be created with Costa Rican MRO provider Cooperativa Autogestionaria de Servicios Aeroindustriales (COOPESA) in Alajuela (San José International Airport), with a first conversion lines expected to open in early 2022 and the second anticipated later that year.
"COOPESA has demonstrated the technical expertise and commitment to quality and execution necessary to help us meet the growing customer demand for the 737-800BCF, including in the Americas," said Jens Steinhagen, director of Boeing freighter conversions. "Boeing is pleased to have COOPESA join our team of MRO partners as we deliver our market-leading converted freighters to customers around the world."
Boeing also stated that the 737-800BCF has now won more than 180 orders and commitments from 15 customers on four continents.
Boeing converts 737-800 passenger airplanes to freighters at three locations today : Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services (BSAS) in Shanghai, China; Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company Limited (GAMECO) in Guangzhou, China; and Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd. (STAECO) in Jinan, China.
A few days ago, GAMECO delivered the first CAAC-registered 737-800BCF, an aircraft completed for BOCOMM Leasing and China Postal Airlines.
Boeing forecasts 1,500 freighter conversions will be needed over the next 20 years to meet growing demand. Of those, 1,080 will be standard-body conversions, with nearly 30% of that demand coming from North America and Latin America.
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